


The Lionhearted

by sunflowerstyles



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Angst, Barebacking, Blowjobs, Bottom Harry, Cliff-diving, Established Relationship, Excessive Cuddling, Fingering, Fluff, Harry potter reference, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Pet Names, Smut, Top Louis, harry is 18, harry is louis' baby, larry stylinson - Freeform, lionhearted, louis is 24, seriously disgusting amount of fluff im so sorry, very light swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-21
Updated: 2014-05-21
Packaged: 2018-01-25 22:18:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1664543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflowerstyles/pseuds/sunflowerstyles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry is brave beyond measure but his nightmares and panic attacks have him convinced otherwise. Louis knows how to get the message through his head.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Lionhearted

Harry peered down the 70-foot drop and leapt off the cliff. He drank in the phenomenal feeling of weightlessness he experienced as he flew, arms spread wide, to the blue-gray water beneath him. He couldn’t help but smile as best he could with the wind pressing forcefully against his face in a way Harry couldn’t get enough of. As he quickly approached the water, he positioned his hands together above his head, straightened his body, and plummeted into the ocean head first.

He reveled in the adrenaline accompanied by his liberating free falls. He kicked his way above the water and relaxed his body on the ocean’s surface, enjoying a different kind of weightlessness. Harry swam around feeling at peace as he always was in the water. When the sun rose even higher in the sky after a couple hours of swimming, he decided it was time to return home. He swam to the rocky shore and carefully climbed about ten feet up the steep side of the cliff before reaching the rope ladder and climbed the rest of the way back up.

With his large calloused hands, muscular arms and back, and a kind, thoughtful face, he appeared older than his actual age of eighteen, which Louis pointed out to him on several occasions. He smiled warmly at the thought of Louis, his twenty-four year old boyfriend tangled in their thin sheets just starting to wake up after Harry’s been awake for hours. He walked the quarter mile back to their house with a spring in his step, always eager to spend time with his boyfriend despite the fact that they’ve lived together for a year.

He pushed open the creaky door to their cottage, small but perfect for the two of them. It was a secluded house, five miles from town and right on the edge of a rocky cliff with the ocean below. Their house was filled with wicker furniture and filled bookshelves in almost every room as the couple shared a love of reading. They owned many, many books, stored nicely on their numerous bookshelves or in stacks all about their house.

Harry set about making two cups of tea, fixing one exactly how he knew Louis liked his. Bringing them to their bedroom and pushing the door open with his hip, he smiled at Louis still asleep in bed. His sun-kissed skin looked even tanner when he was half covered in their white bed sheets. Harry set down their cups on a table and exchanged his swim trunks for boxers and denim shorts with a t-shirt. He sat in front of Louis with a smile on his face. He moved Louis’ hair out of his face gently and Louis fidgeted a little. He’d always been a light sleeper, which was fortunate for Harry since Louis could always wake up and save Harry from his frequent nightmares as soon as possible.

Harry kissed him sweetly and said, “Lou, get up, I have your tea.”

Louis instantly smiled when he felt Harry’s lips on his, smelling tea and the salty sea water on his boyfriend. He sat up and reached for his tea, getting situated leaning against Harry. “You’re so good to me, H,” he told him, pressing a kiss into his neck and turning back to his tea. “I’m older, I should be taking care of you, baby,” Louis said, pinching Harry’s cheeks for emphasis. Harry giggled and shoved his hand away. “You do take care of me, Lou, you know that. Nearly every night now…” Harry said, the smile leaving his face, referring to his nightmares. He couldn’t help the heavy weight of feeling like a burden on Louis for waking him almost every night.

In hopes of getting Harry’s smile to return, Louis pinched his butt and whispered in his ear, “Damn straight I take care of you every night.”

Harry once again erupted in giggles, setting his cup aside as Louis pulled him into his lap. They kissed until their tea got cold, but neither of them cared. “Really though Harry, I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again: I don’t mind helping you at night when you get scared, and I never will,” Louis promised him, kissing his hair. “I’d stay awake as long as it takes every night to get you to smile after your bad dreams.”

They spent the rest of the day enjoying each other’s quiet company since neither of them had errands to run.  They each picked up the books they’ve been reading and headed out to their porch. They had a wide wicker loveseat with a cushion for reading outside, which they did almost every day. After they spent the next several hours reading, the sky began turning gray even though it was only mid-afternoon.  With the sunlight getting dimmer, they found it increasingly harder to read. The two gave up altogether once they felt the first few raindrops.

Harry fixed them an early dinner of spaghetti while it rained on. Afterwards, they both attempted to get back into their stories but with the lovely soothing sound of the thunderstorm, both boys found themselves nodding off with their books still in their hands.

“Is 6:00 too early to go to bed?” Harry questioned through a yawn.

“Not for you, given that god-awful time of the morning you wake up,” Louis replied.

“It’s not that I wake up so early, you just stay in bed and sleep the whole morning away instead of enjoying it,” Harry said defensively.

Louis scoffed but shot Harry a fond smile.“Hazza, you wake up before the sun's up. And I think sleeping definitely counts as enjoying the morning.”

Harry rolled his eyes at his boyfriend and stepped out of his shorts and pulled off his shirt as Louis undressed as well. Louis made to get under the covers but Harry caught his wrist.

“Babe it’s so humid out, you’re gonna get really hot in the sheets.”

“Thought I was really hot in bed in anyway,” Louis pouted.

Harry smiled and pulled Louis in to his chest, assuming his position as the big spoon. “Don’t ever doubt your bedroom skills, Lou,” he said kissing Louis’ hair. Louis snickered and snuggled into Harry. The silence between them now made the thunderstorm noises stand out, lulling them both to sleep.

-

Louis woke up to the sound of Harry breathing very heavy and feeling him thrashing around in bed like usual, but this time it sounded different. Louis completely shook the thought of sleep from his head and turned around to assess the situation. Harry was breathing much more urgently than normal during his nightmares and was trembling heavily. His eyes were open as he was obviously awake this time, tears streaming down his face and his hair plastered to his face with sweat.

Louis’ chest ached at the sight of the boy he loved in so much discomfort. His body felt stiff from his lack of knowledge of the correct protocol for this sort of situation.

“Harry, baby, can you hear me?” Louis said, trying desperately to keep the panic out of his voice.

Harry tried his best to nod despite his shaking and breathe out a faint “Louis” through his hyperventilating.

“I’m here, baby, I’m right here, it’s okay,” Louis said and put his hands on Harry’s shoulder and gently ran his hands over his back in an attempt to subdue his shaking.

“I’ll be back in two seconds, alright love?” Louis asked, unsure. Harry whimpered but nodded, looking at Louis with pleading eyes as if to tell Louis to hurry. Louis kissed him on the forehead and said, “Sit tight baby, I’ll be right back.”

He came back with a bowl of cold water and a washcloth, bringing them to Harry on their bed. Louis wet the cloth and began pressing it all over Harry’s sweaty, flushed skin.  After a few minutes, Harry’s shaking slowed and came to a stop, though he was still breathing heavily. Louis held him in his arms as Harry cried into his bare shoulder.

Louis pet his hair and spoke quiet reassurances into his ear. “I’m here baby, I promise you’re safe now. Just breathe in and out darling, that’s it. It’s okay.”

Harry’s sobbing quieted down and his breathing finally evened out. Louis pulled him away from where he was resting against his chest to look him in the eye.

“Are you feeling better, baby?” he asked Harry, his eyes full of concern.

Harry nodded and hummed tiredly, his eyes drooping.

“You wanna get some fresh air? It’s so stuffy in here,” Louis said, rubbing Harry’s back. Harry nodded gratefully and Louis smiled, picking him up and carrying him to the porch. Harry didn't bother to protest. The thunderstorm was over by now, but the faint smell of rain in the air created a relaxing mood. The moon and stars were perfectly visible now that the cloudy sky had cleared up.

Louis sat down with Harry in his lap on the porch couch. Harry had significantly quieted down now but was still crying silently. He felt the cool ocean breeze on his face, so different from the harsh feeling of air rushing when he dives but still a comforting and familiar feeling. He tried to calm down and concentrated on Louis’ presence. Louis hummed soft songs in his ear and waited patiently for him to relax. When he felt Harry stop crying altogether he pulled Harry away to look at him. “I think you had a panic attack, baby. What was it about tonight?” Louis asked him gently.

Harry looked unsure and ashamed, hesitant to tell Louis what it was. He accepted the fact that he was going to end up telling Louis anyway, unable to keep anything from the boy no matter how embarrassing. “It was stupid, Lou, I overreacted,” he began, feeling pathetic at how the meaningless dream made him feel.

“Harry, if it had that much of an effect on you, it couldn’t have been that stupid. Don't feel embarrassed, love, I just wanna help you feel better,” Louis comforted the younger boy, running his hands through Harry’s slightly damp hair.

Harry wouldn’t look him in the eye as he told Louis the next part. “Had a dream we had a fight and you left here and went to live at your mum’s…” Harry confessed, tears once again returning to his eyes. He buried his face in Louis’ neck and mumbled, “Shouldn’t have gotten so scared, ‘m just being a baby.”

Louis continued to card his hands through Harry’s hair, his eyes welling up as well. “Hazza, the thought of leaving you breaks my heart, too,” Louis whispered into Harry’s neck, kissing him softly there. “Don’t put yourself down for being scared, H, you’re the bravest person I know.”

“Lou, I cry over stupid fucking nightmares every night!” Harry replied exasperatedly, raising his voice. “There’s nothing brave about me,” Harry stated as a fact, not as an attempt to argue with Louis.

“Harry, what are you saying?! You dive off that cliff nearly every morning to swim with sharks and climb back up the cliff to do it again the next day!” Louis said, looking at Harry with pleading eyes. “And it scares me when you do that, I want you coming back home in one piece…” Louis confessed as an afterthought.  “Darling, don’t sell yourself short. Your bravery is one of my many favorite things about you,” Louis promised him, kissing him forcefully on the mouth, silently begging Harry to believe him.

“And getting worked up over a dream like that only shows you’re human,” Louis went on, playing with the hair at the base of Harry’s neck like he knows Harry loves. “Don’t ever worry about me leaving you, I couldn’t stay away from you if I tried,” he smiled at Harry and added in a more serious, quieter tone, “And you better believe I would completely fall apart if you left me, I need you her, Haz. I love you.”

Both boys were looking at each other with nothing but love and understanding. They kissedon their porch as the breeze blew around them.

“Will you make love with me?” Harry whispered into his boyfriend’s ear.

Louis felt his blood rush at the question but never failed to put Harry’s well-being before his. “Are you sure you’re not too worn out after tonight?” he asked.

Harry pressed his palm into Louis’ crotch. “I’m sure Lou, just really want you right now,” Harry whispered.

Louis groaned quietly and kissed Harry more urgently than before. “Of course, love,” he whispered back between kisses. He picked Harry up once more, keeping their mouths connected, and carried him back inside. They made their way to the bedroom and Louis laid him down gently and moved to straddle him. He set to work kissing bruises into Harry’s neck and moving down to his collarbones. Harry whined and pushed his hips up into Louis’.

“Shh, baby, I know you must be exhausted, I’ll take good care of you,” Louis told him sweetly, rubbing his thumb in circles on Harry’s hip. He pulled off his own boxers and did the same for Harry. He sucked a bruise on Harry’s hip bone. He kissed up Harry’s thigh and finally took the head of his dick in his mouth, sucking lightly on it and listening to Harry’s soft moans. Louis took more and more of Harry into his mouth with practiced skill until his nose could touch Harry’s stomach. He moved his mouth up and down on Harry’s cock, keeping eye contact as best he could.

Harry could feel his stomach tightening as he felt the tip of his dick hit Louis' throat every time Louis dipped his head back down. He stared wide-eyed down at Louis, knowing he was close but didn't want to come yet.

“Lou, I’m-I’m gonna-” Harry stuttered out. Louis understood the warning and pulled off with a slick noise. He gave Harry's cock one last kiss and licked the bit of pre-come off the tip, earning another whine from Harry. He reached over to their nightstand to retrieve the lube and flicked it open. He covered three fingers generously. He kissed Harry lovingly and found his hand and laced his non-sticky fingers through Harry’s. He brought his other hand down to Harry’s hole and ran his index finger around his rim, feeling it clench at the sudden contact. Louis pushed his finger in slowly while licking into his mouth passionately, feeling Harry’s breath catch in his throat. He worked his finger in and out until Harry began fidgeting, wanting more. Louis obliged and slid in another finger beside the first.

Harry was grinding down on Louis' fingers, meeting his thrusts and moaned in a needing way. Louis got the message and slipped in a third finger, trying to take his time in working Harry open.

“More, Louis. Want your cock,” Harry whined in his ear. The words went straight to Louis’ already hard dick.

“Be patient baby, I’ll take care of you,” Louis assured him, scissoring Harry opened with his fingers a few more times before pulling them out. Harry squirmed at the sudden loss and squeezed Louis’ hand. Louis found the bottle and opened it again with one hand to pour more lube on his hand before closing it and tossing it aside. He slicked up his dick, thinking of how tight Harry felt around his fingers and groaning in anticipation.

“Lift your legs up for me, Haz,” Louis said, and Harry hastened to wrap his legs around Louis’ hips, bringing him in closer. Louis began sucking more lovebites in his neck while slowly pushing into Harry’s tight hole. Louis held his hand firmly on Harry’s hip, his other hand still wrapped around Harry’s.

Louis started pushing in and out at a slow, steady pace, making Harry moan Louis’ name. Harry loved the familiar burn of being stretched around his boyfriend, took pleasure in the tight pain he felt. “I really love you, Louis,” he panted out, reaching up to put his hand in Louis’ hair and pulling him away from Harry’s neck to kiss him on the mouth instead.

“I really love you too, baby,” Louis whispered into his mouth.

Harry soaked in the feeling of being so intimate with the person he loved the most, the person who took such good care of him. He craved the feeling of Louis filling him up like he did so well. “Go faster, Lou," he pleaded, not wanting to keep it together anymore.

“Of course baby, you’re being such a good boy,” Louis praised him, picking up his pace. He knew how much Harry loved being praised, how it made him squirm in pleasure.

With Louis’ hips meeting Harry’s ass with every thrust, he changed angles trying to find the one that made Harry scream his name and claw at Louis' back. A few thrusts later he found it, causing Harry to cry out and mumble incoherently. He pounded repeatedly into Harry's prostate, making Harry stutter out curses and yell Louis' name without holding back.

“You sound so good Hazza, love the sounds you make for me,” Louis whispered into his skin. Harry keened up towards him, arching his back and letting more moans fall from his mouth. Louis’ hand left his hip and moved to the small of his back, holding him close so their bodies were almost pressed together, never able to get enough of making his boy fall apart with pleasure.

After a few long minutes, Harry’s noises were completely unintelligible. Louis knew Harry wasn’t going to last much longer and that he himself was following close behind. He reached between them and fell into a rhythm of jerking Harry off in time with his thrusts.

“Louis-Lou, _fuck_ I’m so close,” Harry breathed out, his nails digging into Louis’ back.

“Just let it go baby, come for me,” Louis whispered and biting the skin right below his ear.

The words pushed Harry over the edge in the metaphorical sense, but he found himself experiencing the same weightless feeling as he did in the physical sense. Louis making him come always gave him the same adrenaline rush he associated with diving off the cliff and crashing into the familiar yet always exhilarating ocean below.

The fucked-out look of pleasure on Harry’s face along with his loud drawn-out moan of Louis’ name had Louis coming undone seconds after Harry. His thrusts turned muddled and inconsistent as he released inside of Harry, whining in pleasure with his face nuzzled into Harry’s neck. He pulled out and collapsed onto Harry’s body, feeling Harry’s rapid pulse against his chest.

They stayed like that for a couple minutes, both getting their breathing at a normal pace as Harry ran his big hand up and down Louis’ back.

Harry was the first to break the comfortable silence. “’S all stuffy in here again. Let’s sit outside,” he suggested.

“Alright love. We should wash up first, yeah?” Louis climbed off Harry and held out his hand to help the younger boy stand up on his shaky legs. He led him to the bathroom and turned the shower on a cooler temperature than usual. They stepped in and shared a soapy washcloth to clean off the drying come and lube from their bodies, sharing occasional kisses in the process.

The two got out and dried off, heading straight outside and skipping the clothes, seeing as the porch was in the back of their house and they rarely had visitors anyway.

Harry laid down first and pulled Louis’ smaller body into his large chest. It was nearly sunrise now judging by the dark blue sky getting lighter by the minute. Now was about the time Harry would wake up to go swimming, but both boys were exhausted.

Comfortably quiet minutes passed. Harry was humming quietly and stroking Louis’ hair, assuming he was asleep by now, but all of a sudden Louis spoke up.

“You know how I told you how brave you are, jumping off that cliff every day?” Louis asked in a low tone. Harry hummed again, this time in agreement, and Louis continued, “I think the bravest thing about you is how you love without holding back, with everything you have. Not everyone is as open as you are with loving so freely. But your bravery shines through your willingness to see the good in everyone and everything. Even people who are mean to you, for God’s sake, and I admire that about you so much.”

Louis’ words made his heart swell with pride. There were tears in his eyes once again. He wrapped both his arms around Louis lying between his legs against his chest and held him tight. He took a few moments to collect himself and nuzzled into Louis’ hair kissing his head.

“I’ve considered something like that as being brave. I’ve been told I’m naïve or that I wear my heart on my sleeve, but when you say it like that, I think I can see what you mean,” Harry responded. In a quieter voice, embarrassed about needing further reassurance, he asked Louis, “You really do think I’m brave? Even though meaningless nightmares can bring me to tears?”

“Love, everyone cries sometimes, it doesn't mean you’re weak, or that I love you any less,” Louis promised, kissing his chest. “You’re so brave I reckon you’d be sorted into Gryffindor in seconds flat,” he added.

It may have been silly, but it made Harry’s heart soar. “You think so?”

“I _know_ so darling. Now get some sleep, we both need it.”

“Love you, Louis.”

“I love you too, Haz.”

They both fell asleep to the hypnotizing sound of waves below in no time.

 ***

Hours had gone by while Harry and Louis were passed out on their porch. By the time Harry had woken up, it was nearly sunset. Louis was still in a deep sleep on top of him. Although nothing could compare to the feeling of holding his boyfriend in his arms, he couldn’t stop thinking of the fact he hadn’t been swimming at all that day. He gently lifted Louis’ sleeping form while standing up and laid him back down, still fast asleep. Harry went inside to pull on a pair of swim trunks and quietly headed back outside, making his way to where the rope ladder hung down to the sea.

As he approached the spot, he saw this daily activity in a new light. He’d never considered himself brave at all. He has thought quite the opposite for most of his life, and he was always mentally beating himself up over how babyish he could be, unable to hold back his tears whenever he began to well up, whether it be a particularly distressing nightmare or a tragic book he was reading. But now, he realized how frightening diving off a high cliff would seem to most people. He smiled to himself, forever grateful for someone like Louis in his life to show him what he’s worth.

Harry peered down the 70-foot drop and leapt off the cliff.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to add that I certainly don't advise cliff diving alone, and I think you're supposed to go feet-first anyway. Also, when someone's having a panic attack, I'm pretty sure you really shouldn't leave them at all and you're supposed to have them stand up and go for a walk or organize a closet or something like that to get their mind off what's bothering them. But I'm obviously not an expert about either of those things, just thought I'd mention a little disclaimer and tell you what I do know. If you could let me know what you thought, that would be great! I'm [sunflowerstyles](http://sunflowerstyles.tumblr.com/) on tumblr and I love Harry lots and lots :) xoxo


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